Skype buys group messaging outfit GroupMe

GroupMe is a mobile app, which
allows users to share images and text messages to a group; but also
supports in-browser chatting and free conference calls.

The GroupMe team announced the news on its blog stating: "Over the
last few months, we had been in talks with Skype that started with
discussions about potential commercial partnerships. As we got to
know the core Skype team better, though, and as our conversations
evolved, it quickly became evident that our visions were perfectly
aligned.

"Both companies are focused on changing the way the world
communicates, and helping people stay in touch with the people they
really know. With a shared vision -- an ambitious one -- we decided
our efforts to own real-time communications and the real life
network could be best executed as one company."

The blog post emphasises that, while the deal will offer GroupMe
access to Skype's 175 million monthly connected users, the company
will remain independent.

Users have started to comment under the blog post -- and are
largely enthusiastic though one warned: "…so Microsoft owns Skype
(sic) which is in bed with Facebook which earlier bought GroupMe's biggest
competitor (Beluga) and then treated it like the red headed step
child. I switched back to GroupMe from Beluga because of this.
Please don't repeat Beluga's/Facebooks/Skype/Microsoft's
blunder."

The European Commission is currently investigating Microsoft's
proposed acquisition of Skype so will we have to wait to see
whether GroupMe gets pushed out in the cold.